Probe into Tavella killing: Searching a needle in haystack

Sagar Biswas :
Detectives are still searching a needle in the haystack to find out a clue to unearth the mystery behind the grisly murder of Italian national Caesar Tavella though ten days have already been elapsed in the meantime.
The Detective and Criminal Intelligence Division is now officially assigned to investigate the murder. But all the intelligence agencies, including Special Branch, National Security Intelligence, Directorate of General Forces Intelligence and the intelligence wing of crime busting elite force Rapid Action Battalion, Crime Scene Unit of Criminal Investigation Department are also conducting ‘supporting probe’ into the incident.
The failure of the investigation came into forefront when the high-powered probe committee headed by Joint Commissioner of Detective and Criminal Intelligence Division also could not make any headway in investigating the murder.
In fact, the investigation progress is totally zero. The investigation is still centered to CCTV footage analysis, verifying of cell phone call list and questioning of some less-important suspects.
But the detectives still could not trace three prime suspects, who took part in the killing mission of Italian citizen. The detectives also could not trace their names, addresses and social or political identities of them till the date.
Now allegation has been raised about the lack of coordination among the intelligence agencies which apparently has slowed down the overall investigation process.
 “It needs time for the police….. The skilled officials of police department are conducting the investigation. Hope, the mystery will be unveiled through investigation soon,” Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoq on Thursday said when he was asked about the investigation process of recent foreigners’ murder in Dhaka and Rangpur.
About the possible involvement of IS [Islamic State], the IGP said: “I will not comment over the issue just at the moment. The matter will be cleared after completion of the investigation.”
The Police Boss said that the recent murders of two foreign nationals, including Caesar Tavella, were ‘target killings and conspiracy’. “The overall law and order situation is under control of law enforcement agencies. I don’t think the law and order will deteriorate with a few incidents of crime,” he said.
In this backdrop, the members of SWAT [Special Weapons And Tactics], an elite tactical unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, have been deployed in the diplomatic zone. The SWAT team started patrolling the roads of Gulshan and Baridhara diplomatic zone from Thursday evening.
 “The authorities have deployed SWAT in the diplomatic zone with a view to ensuring foreign diplomats following the killing of Italian national Caesar Tavella. Apart from SWAT, the members of plainclothes police have also been increased in the area,” Sheikh Nazmul Alam, Deputy Commissioner [North] of DMP, said last night.
Earlier on September 28, the Italian national Cesare Tavella, 50, who worked as the project manager of Profitable Opportunities for Food Security [PROOFS], a project of Netherlands-based organisation ICCO Cooperation, was shot dead by armed assailants in the city’s Gulshan diplomatic zone.